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Putting together a filter box http://byap.backyardmagazines.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5295	Page 1 of 1

Author:	RupertofOZ [ Apr 15th, '09, 23:24 ]
Post subject:	Putting together a filter box
Decide to put the larger filter box together... thought I'd document the steps... This is a "commercial" product... but it might help those who are thinking of putting something together themselves... Will run to about ten posts... hold comments and questions until the end please...

Author:	RupertofOZ [ Apr 15th, '09, 23:30 ]
Post subject:	Re: Putting together a filter box
The basic box... this one has inbuilt "slots" and level segments... Attachment: 100_2811 (Medium).JPG [ 64.88 KiB \| Viewed 4426 times ] The primary chamber... has a raised grill to hold the filter mat off the bottom.. Attachment: 100_2812 (Medium).JPG [ 73.97 KiB \| Viewed 4429 times ] About half a dozen layers of filter mat goes on top of the grill... Attachment: 100_2813 (Medium).JPG [ 66.53 KiB \| Viewed 4423 times ] Ultimately this is where the bio-filtration and nitrification will take place..

Author:	RupertofOZ [ Apr 15th, '09, 23:34 ]
Post subject:	Re: Putting together a filter box
The layers of filter mat are placed on the grill... Attachment: 100_2814 (Medium).JPG [ 64.08 KiB \| Viewed 4424 times ] And capped with another grill... Attachment: 100_2815 (Medium).JPG [ 79.56 KiB \| Viewed 4424 times ] Water will enter this primary chamber from the top and pass down through the filter mats and under the seperating divider... Attachment: 100_2816 (Medium).JPG [ 69.26 KiB \| Viewed 4419 times ]

Author:	RupertofOZ [ Apr 15th, '09, 23:40 ]
Post subject:	Re: Putting together a filter box
First chamber almost complete... Attachment: 100_2817 (Medium).JPG [ 81.93 KiB \| Viewed 4414 times ] This is topped with several layers of filter wool... Attachment: 100_2818 (Medium).JPG [ 66.76 KiB \| Viewed 4413 times ] The wool is the primary "solids" filter... and requires maintenance.. The second divider is put in place... to form the secondary "up-swell" chamber... Attachment: 100_2820 (Medium).JPG [ 69.53 KiB \| Viewed 4416 times ]

Author:	RupertofOZ [ Apr 15th, '09, 23:46 ]
Post subject:	Re: Putting together a filter box
A small divider (about a third of the box height) sits flush with the box bottom... forcing the water to up well... Attachment: 100_2822 (Medium).JPG [ 57.54 KiB \| Viewed 4411 times ] Through two large pieces of fairly porous filter mat... Attachment: 100_2823 (Medium).JPG [ 65.34 KiB \| Viewed 4409 times ] With a pouch of activated carbon sandwiched between them... Attachment: 100_2824 (Medium).JPG [ 62.29 KiB \| Viewed 4406 times ]

Author:	RupertofOZ [ Apr 15th, '09, 23:53 ]
Post subject:	Re: Putting together a filter box
Here is the completed "up well" ... Attachment: 100_2825 (Medium).JPG [ 62.18 KiB \| Viewed 4398 times ] A "cap" of filter mat is placed over the carbon pouch (see later photo).... The water wells up through the activated carbon... and over the divider into the remainder of the second chamber... where it then flows down and under the second big divider into the third chamber... The rest of the second chamber (up to the top of the "up-well") is filled with filter mat... Attachment: 100_2826 (Medium).JPG [ 75.15 KiB \| Viewed 4396 times ] Which is cut to size... Attachment: 100_2827 (Medium).JPG [ 70.5 KiB \| Viewed 4398 times ]

Author:	RupertofOZ [ Apr 16th, '09, 00:00 ]
Post subject:	Re: Putting together a filter box
The filter mat is placed into the chamber... up to just below the height of the up-well divider... (note the small mat cap over the carbon pouch)... Attachment: 100_2828 (Medium).JPG [ 73.16 KiB \| Viewed 4392 times ] Attachment: 100_2830 (Medium).JPG [ 55.92 KiB \| Viewed 4391 times ] And capped with several layers of filter wool... this serves as a trap for finer sediment flowing over the up-well... and down through the mat into the third chamber... Attachment: 100_2831 (Medium).JPG [ 57.49 KiB \| Viewed 4392 times ]

Author:	RupertofOZ [ Apr 16th, '09, 00:06 ]
Post subject:	Re: Putting together a filter box
The third chamber is basically a "settling" tank.... and the outlet back to the tank... Which is screwed through the filter box wall... Attachment: 100_2833 (Medium).JPG [ 58.53 KiB \| Viewed 4388 times ] Attachment: 100_2835 (Medium).JPG [ 71.09 KiB \| Viewed 4390 times ] This fitting is rather unique... in that it incorporates a "ball valve"... which allows for adjustment of outflow... and height of water in the settling chamber... Attachment: 100_2836 (Medium).JPG [ 66.72 KiB \| Viewed 4384 times ]

Author:	RupertofOZ [ Apr 16th, '09, 00:13 ]
Post subject:	Re: Putting together a filter box
That basically completes the box... Attachment: 100_2837 (Medium).JPG [ 44.39 KiB \| Viewed 4379 times ] Other than the box covers... with inlet hole(s)... for attachment to pump, UV unit... addition of air line if required...And to allow maintenance... Attachment: 100_2838 (Medium).JPG [ 61.69 KiB \| Viewed 4379 times ] This unit comes with two different sized inlet holes... and the second cover is a duplicate of the first... the holes in this one are essentially redundant... but allow the system to breathe.. Attachment: 100_2839 (Medium).JPG [ 62.92 KiB \| Viewed 4377 times ]

Author:	RupertofOZ [ Apr 16th, '09, 00:19 ]
Post subject:	Re: Putting together a filter box
And here it is in operation (actually, this is one I prepared earlier ... slightly smaller)... Water inflow... Attachment: 100_2660 (Medium).JPG [ 63.01 KiB \| Viewed 4375 times ] Throught the box... Attachment: 100_2659 (Medium).JPG [ 40.61 KiB \| Viewed 4378 times ] And back to the tank... Attachment: 100_2658 (Medium).JPG [ 90.04 KiB \| Viewed 4375 times ]

Author:	RupertofOZ [ Apr 16th, '09, 00:24 ]
Post subject:	Re: Putting together a filter box
Such filter boxes are more normally used with aquaria or ponds... rather than AP... But allow for cases of filtering algae... removing fine sediments... and providing extra bio-filtration if needed.... I utilise them ... partly because I'm underfiltered (growbed wise) for the current level of feed... and because that imposes levels of fine sediments that could otherwise be detremental... Also means I can move the box(s) around the tanks as required.... The two other smaller units I have will actually be setup on the mega system to pre-filter a couple of raft trays... There you have it...

Author:	Dufflight [ Apr 16th, '09, 13:05 ]
Post subject:	Re: Putting together a filter box
Looks good. I like that if it blocks and overflows the water ends up back in the tank. Had to turn mine on after the last lot of rain. The green was comming back.

Author:	nick [ Apr 16th, '09, 19:33 ]
Post subject:	Re: Putting together a filter box
i like the filter box it is a good size but I would be tempted to change the dividers around and make the water flow through a little different. My thought would be to have the second tall divider the other way around and that way you can force the water to go through more filter media if you wanted to. This is merely a suggestion but you could then fill the top of the middle division with bioballs and make for a greater surface area. Just my to cents and like the design because you can personalise it to your own likings as you get to know it, Nick

Author:	King Erik the 14th [ Apr 16th, '09, 20:53 ]
Post subject:	Re: Putting together a filter box
Who makes these filters, and roughly how much do they cost? I'm looking to change my system when I get home and am looking for a pre-NFT filter.

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